5.4: General Equipment
A character may carry around other objects in addition to any weapons and armor; in general these other objects are classified as equipment. Equipment can include gear for adventuring in different types of terrain, tools, kits, everyday items and so forth. The effect of a piece of equipment usually comes into play only in certain specific situations but having it available at the right time can make the difference between success and failure. As with weapons and armor, it is assumed that all of the equipment listed in this sub-Chapter are generic, medium-sized pieces of equipment. It is possible for pieces of equipment to be modified, enhanced or to come in a size suited for sapient beings that are substantially larger or smaller than Terrans. The same general list of modifiers that may be applied to weaponry and armor (age, rarity, quality and size) can also be applied to various forms of equipment at a GM's discretion. Encumbrance and Pockets While it might be nice if a character could carry everything possible all at one time and be prepared for any contingency they might face as a result (particularly from the standpoint of a player), the truth of the matter is that this optimistic state of affairs simply isn't realistic; stuff takes up space and has weight. Sooner or later, a character hauling around enough crap will get to the point where its combined weight is going to affect their abilities. This effect is known to all experienced role-players by that foulest of words, encumbrance. Encumbrance in WCRPG is handled through the use of "pockets". Pockets are any item or device that allows a player to carry an item without the use of a "motor appendage" (more on motor appendages later). A pocket can also be referred to as a container; any object that has pockets is known as a container object. Container objects include items such as backpacks, sacks, purses, luggage, utility belts and holsters. Pockets sewn into clothes also count as containers and as a result the most common class of container objects in the WC universe are articles of clothing, which are listed among the equipment presented in this sub-Chapter. The number of pockets a character receives from a container object is listed with that object's stats. Pockets are given ratings in units of slots based upon their relative size; each available slot in a pocket correlates to a volume of 50 cubic centimeters of internal space. All of the pockets used to store an object must belong to the same container object and it must have enough available slots to store the object; the container may not be used to carry an object if these conditions are not fulfilled. A pocket may hold as many objects as its overall size will allow. Additionally, all objects have an encumbrance class (EC) that factors in their size and weight; the combined ECs of all of the objects a character is carrying is called their encumbrance total or total encumbrance class (TEC). For example, a Terran character is carrying Field Binoculars, a Laser Pistol, an Environmental Scanner and a PDA. The field binoculars have an EC of 8, the laser has an EC of 3, the scanner 4 and the PDA 2; their encumbrance total is therefore 17 (8+3+4+2 = 17). Container objects are assumed to have an EC of zero unless otherwise noted. Some items are so heavy by themselves that they have additional HD/THD and Finesse Skill penalties; where an added penalty applies, it will be so noted. A character whose TEC is less than their Power score suffers no penalties for encumbrance. If a character's TEC is greater than their Power score but less than 1½ times that amount (rounded down), they are burdened, can only move at half of their base rate and cannot run faster than three times their base speed. Further, they take a -10 DC penalty to all Physical Checks (all Power, Finesse and Physique Checks). A character whose load is between 1½ and two times their Power score is strained and cannot run faster than twice their base speed, with the Physical Check DC penalty increasing to -25. When a character's TEC is twice their Power score or greater, they are so overloaded with stuff that they cannot move under any circumstances and automatically fail all Physical Checks. Penalties for carrying specific objects apply regardless of whether the item is being carried by a motor appendage or in a pocket. When purchasing items for their characters (including weapons and some forms of Armor such as Shields), players should specify the container object in which they plan to carry the object. This will make it easier for a GM to determine changes in a character's TEC if they should happen to drop the specific container object. It also tends to make it easier to determine when exactly that container is full. Note that a character may wear Armor over their clothing and may wear some pieces of clothing that are designed to fit over other pieces (such as a coat). Objects may still be carried in pockets that will be physically covered by other pieces of clothing or armor, provided that they are placed in the pockets '''before' the character adds the outer clothing/Armor layer''. Objects in pockets covered by outer layers may not be accessed without first removing the covering layer first unless otherwise noted. Objects that can be worn over clothes and Armor will usually be so noted (items such as weapons holsters, belts and backpacks are usually assumed to be worn over clothing and Armor without any notation). A Quick Word about Body Parts and Pockets Regardless of their species, all characters in WCRPG have various bodily areas; perhaps unsurprisingly, these areas are collectively known as body parts. The nature of these areas largely determines how a species behaves biologically and can have some in-game effects. Body parts correspond to the same areas on a character's body that can take damage in combat (see Chapter 9.2). The Wing Commander Universe contains a small number of non-humanoid species. Because of the need to represent a dichotomy of both humanoid and non-humanoid species, the names given to body parts in WCRPG are somewhat vague; because it is assumed that most of WCRPG's players will be Terrans in real-life, Terran frames of reference are used whenever it is deemed necessary. The following is a brief overview of body parts in WCRPG and how pockets tend to be used with them. Cognitive Organs are what enables a character to think and to control their life processes; the Terran equivalent would be the brain and spinal column. Related to this bodily section are Sensory Organs including eyes, ears, noses, antennae, infrared pits, etc., which are used to provide the character with sensory information about their surroundings. In general, these organs are so crucial to a lifeform's very existence that their performance is best left unimpeded; no container objects are usually made to be carried on these areas, though certain pieces of gear (such as sunglasses, hearing aids, nose plugs, etc.) can be set for use with these areas directly without the need for pockets. A piece of equipment that can be used in this manner will be so noted in its description. Motor Appendages (more properly called "motor-control appendages") include arms, tentacles, prehensile vines or anything else that a lifeform uses for the purpose of manipulating objects; for Terrans, this includes either complete arm assembly from the shoulder all the way down to the fingertips. They may be used to directly "store" an object that isn't being used; in this case the object is considered to be "carried in hand". A character is allowed to carry one item per motor appendage unless the item specifically states that it requires the use of multiple appendages. If an item requires more appendages than the character currently has available for its use, the character cannot use the item though they are still allowed to carry it. Particularly large or heavy objects may be carried by multiple characters; any penalties that come from carrying such an item are shared equally by all of the characters carrying it. A motor appendage can have an additional pocket or two added to it from clothing and the "shoulder" (the part of a motor appendage that directly attaches to a lifeform's body area) can itself be used to carry certain pieces of gear with straps directly (including items such as purses, backpacks, satchel charges and so forth). Heavy items stored in a motor appendage pocket will make it more difficult for a character to utilize the appendage; if an item stored in a motor appendage pocket has an HD penalty associated with it, it will inflict an equal DC penalty to all of the character's Finesse Checks. Propulsive Appendages include legs, tentacles, prehensile root structures or anything else whose purpose is to enable a lifeform to move. Propulsive appendages may have some pockets added to them from clothing. A heavy item stored in a propulsive appendage pocket may make it more difficult for a character to move quickly; if an item stored in a motor appendage pocket has an HD penalty associated with it, the item inflicts an equal DC penalty to all of the character's Finesse Checks and will also reduce their base movement speed by one-tenth of the same amount. Reproductive Organs include any kind of gonadal structure or genitalia used in order for a lifeform to procreate. Typically, putting any kind of additional weight on these structures results in a marked drop in the lifeform's overall performance (get your mind out of the gutter, you pervert) not to mention severe pain and the organ's possible permanent dysfunction. The reproductive organs are like sensory organs in that in general no pockets are usually added to them though a creative and somewhat repressed GM may come up with some pieces of equipment that may be set for use in these areas directly. Penalties associated with combat damage to the reproductive organ areas may be applied to any object being carried in the same area; for details, see Chapter 9.2. Finally, the Body Area constitutes the remainder of the lifeform's internal volume, containing the majority of the vital internal organs and the lifeform's center of mass (assuming it's symmetrical); for a Terran, this would include the torso area down to the waist. Typically, most of the pockets added to a character via their gear will be in this area of their body. There are two particularly important parts of the body area that deserve special attention: the "waist" and the "back". The waist area can be used as a mounting point for equipment such as belts. All characters are allowed to wear one belt of any type; for some species, this may be the only way they can haul any gear whatsoever. The back is required to haul larger pieces of equipment including large satchel charges, backpacks, flammable gas canisters and so forth. When carrying objects on the back, two of the character's "shoulders" are also used; other objects can be simultaneously mounted on the same shoulders. Finally, a character may have a holster for a weapon that requires multiple appendages to use mounted on their back at the same time they have another object mounted there. Equipment The following section lists specific pieces of character equipment by category. While most of these categories will have their own set of statistics, there are a few pieces of data that are common them; these are known as basic stats and consist of the following items: *Category: This lists the specific category into which a given piece of equipment fits. When an effect is universal to every item in the category, it will be so noted. *Name: This is the name given to the specific piece of equipment. *Availability: This lists the minimal technological level a culture must achieve before the equipment will become available for its general use. Note that any piece of equipment may be used '''by any member of any species; this just lists when a species may start making if for themselves. *Cost: This lists the general cost of the equipment in credits assuming average quality and level market conditions. *EC: This lists the equipment's encumbrance class, which counts towards the TEC of any character carrying it. *Size: This lists the size of the equipment in slots. *Appendages: This lists the number of appendages required to use the equipment. *Description: This gives a generic description of the equipment; if it has any special qualities or effects, they will be listed here. Any changes to the usage of these basic stats will be indicated in a given category's general overview along with any additional stats specifically used by it. Clothing and Container Objects As explained above, the primary function of clothing and container objects is to provide a character with additional '''pockets, which determine how much stuff they can carry at any given time. Clothing is fairly ubiquitous amongst sentient races; nudity is taboo in many cultures, although what level of surface exposure constitutes it is another matter entirely. All characters are assumed to have at least one outfit at the time of their creation that's appropriate to the role they play in their society, unless the GM has a good reason for letting them run around naked. All clothing listed herein becomes available in Metal Age societies unless expressly stated otherwise. Because containers are used primarily for holding other objects, they have a pockets statistic instead of a size statistic; this lists the number of pockets that come with the container as well as the number of slots in each individual pocket. Containers also have a listing for mountpoints; this statistic indicates the part of the body on which the container is designed to be worn. Clothing in particular always goes on underneath other objects that may share the same mount point. Containers otherwise use the basic stats. Tools and Wilderness Gear Tools are devices that provide either a mechanical advantage in accomplishing a physical task or an ability that is not naturally available to its user; the vast majority of useful objects fall into this broad category. Related to tools are pieces of wilderness gear, which are include tools that are generally meant to be used in planetary environments outside of urban areas. Tools and Wilderness Gear utilize the basic stats only. Comestibles Comestibles consist of items that provide biochemical energy when ingested or assist in its generation. For most races, any comestible is a single-use item (and we really don't want to think about those races that eat their food more than once). Characters must eat; if they don't, it can have serious physiological consequences (see Chapter 12.3). A comestible item often has to be carried in some kind of container until it is ready to be consumed; the "Size" stat below reflects the size of the container, not necessarily the food itself. Comestibles generally require only one Motor Appendage to consume and two to get the container open. Comestibles otherwise use the basic stats. Scanners and Computer Technologies A scanner is any device used to electronically gather information about a character's surroundings. Computer technologies include any type of machine that manipulates data according to a given list of instructions known as a program as well as the programs themselves and any corresponding documentation. The presence of scanners and computer technologies in a society generally doesn't come about until their Industrial Age, though there are a few primitive societies that have simple counting machines that can be considered computers. For the sake of simplicity, GMs should assume these technologies are available in Industrial Age societies; Starfaring Age tech will be so noted. Some of the items indicated are software, while others are computers. Software requires a computer in order to work; the type of computer needed can be determined by the GM. Scanners and computer technologies otherwise use the basic stats. Communication Technologies Communication Technologies include any type of mechanical device designed to facilitate the transmission and/or reception of a message (usually audio, video or text) over a significant distance. Mechanical forms of broadcasting usually come about during a society's Industrial Age, although primitive societies that have regular contact with more advanced species will tend to employ advanced communication technologies (particularly translators). The communication technologies listed herein are available in Industrial Age societies unless otherwise noted. Also, it is assumed that societies employing these technologies have developed them to the point where they are relatively light and compact and can therefore be operated with a single Motor Appendage unless otherwise noted. Communication technologies otherwise use the basic stats. Medicine and Medical Technologies Medicine includes any item used for the prevention and/or treatment of a variety of ailments. Medical Technologies include any kind of device or tool designed to be used for the purpose of diagnosing medical problems. These items in aggregate include everything from simple bandages, inoculations for particular diseases, items designed to repair serious injuries and so forth. For the sake of simplicity, all objects in this category are available in Industrial Age societies unless otherwise noted. Medicine and Medical Technologies otherwise use the basic stats. Weapon Accessories, Ammunition and Batteries Ammunition is any object required by a weapon in order for it to function as intended, such as metal slugs (bullets), kinetic darts with sabot jackets (generally just called sabots) and arrows. A Battery is an object required by another device in order to provide enough electrical power for it to function as intended. Devices that require Batteries include certain tools, personal energy shield generators and some weapons (the reason why they are included in this section). The amount of remaining electrical power that an individual battery can provide to a device is measured in charges; once depleted of charges and/or the ability to recharge, a battery is worthless. Finally, weapon accessories '''are objects designed to attach to a weapon in order to improve upon or maintain its performance or usability; laser designators and sights are included in this definition. Unless otherwise noted, it's assumed that Ammunition, Batteries and Accessories are directly utilized by the weapons/devices that require them; they do not require direct manipulation by a character's Motor Appendages. This is not the case when the need arrives to reload the weapon in which these objects are being used; it's generally assumed that two Motor Appendages are required to reload a weapon in all cases. They otherwise use the basic stats. Services '''Services aren't equipment per se but they do have a monetary cost and have similar game to most pieces of equipment; thus, they will be the last thing discussed in this sub-Chapter. They are best defined as things that a character may not be able to provide for themselves in the short-term based on their current situation, such as when they are travelling. Services include such things as hotel rooms, charter transport and meals. Services employ a unique set of stats. Services are listed in both categories and '''sub-categories; '''category indicates a generic type of service while sub-category indicates a specific service within that category. '''Availability '''refers to the ''smallest size ''of community at which a service becomes available. A service's '''cost '''is fairly straightforward though it should be noted that the prices listed for services should be considered average values; depending on a character's location, any available services might cost either substantially more or substantially less. If a service is available only in societies that have achieved a certain technology level, it will be so noted. Finally, since services are not items that can be carried by a character, they do not have ECs, size stats or Motor Appendage requirements. ---- NEXT: 5.5 Commodities PREVIOUS: 5.3 Armor TOP ---- Category:WCRPG